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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25438057">Family Takes Care of their Own</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/bracus09/pseuds/bracus09'>bracus09</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>SEAL Team (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Clay Spenser Whump, Gen, Hidden Injuries, Team as Family</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 07:20:53</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,633</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25438057</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/bracus09/pseuds/bracus09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When one of Bravo needs a little bit of family care.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>207</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Family Takes Care of their Own</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/lauren2381/gifts">lauren2381</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>So, this is what happens when you are talking with Lauren2381... and she said go for it.</p>
<p>Hope everyone is staying safe and enjoy!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>With great effort and an uneasy gait, he wearily made his way up the walk to the door where he leaned heavily against the front of the house, planting both hands on the screen door to steady himself. If he had not promised the kids that he would come straight to the barbeque if he got back in time from the spin-up, he would have gone directly home to bed.</p>
<p>The spin-up had been grueling and to top it off, he was only supposed to be on this op in a translator capacity. Of course, the mission went to shit, and he did not stay just a translator.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘Why do I do this to myself? If it isn’t bad enough that I get banged up on my own ops, I get assigned to Charlie for their trip to Africa.’</em>
</p>
<p>Clay was beyond exhausted and although he hadn’t told anyone - especially Charlie’s medic - his wrist, now wrapped in a compression wrap, and his knee, that he knew had grown several sizes larger than its normal size, were throbbing to the beat of his heart. His throat hurt and his chest ached from smoke inhalation and his head felt like a drumline was practicing a steady beat inside. Trent would have insisted that he get checked out, but Charlie’s medic didn’t know him that well.</p>
<p>
  <em>‘I better pull myself together before I face the guys. Trent is going to know if I’m not careful, then all the guys will find out. Jason will stand me down for a few days and I don’t want to miss any ops.’ </em>
</p>
<p>Taking a few deep cleansing breaths, Clay rolled his head from side to side and pushed himself away from his perch. He could hear the festivities already started in the backyard through the screen door. He was thankful that his team left a spot close to the driveway. If he’d had to park down the street, he didn’t think he would have made it this far.</p>
<p><em>‘I’ll just need to make it to the bathroom without anyone knowing I’m here, splash some water on my face and try to pull myself together.’</em> He sighed. <em>‘I hope no one sees me.’</em></p>
<p>Clay pressed his face to the screen trying to see if anyone was in the kitchen before opening the door. He knew the hinges squeaked, and he didn’t want to alert anyone to his arrival until he had time to freshen up. Seeing that the coast was clear, he slipped inside the house and down the hallway to the guest bath and room. Since Jason sold his house, Ray’s house has been the preferred house to barbeque at. He limped gingerly to the bathroom and closed the door, leaning his forehead on it, willing the drums in his head to take a break.</p>
<p>He slowly turned to the sink and again placed both hands out to steady himself. After a few minutes, he reached over and turned on the water and with his good hand splashed some on his face, then looked up into the mirror to see if he looked as bad as he felt.</p>
<p>To his dismay, he did look that bad. His eyes had dark circles beneath them. He looked tired and pale. He’d gotten water on the butterfly bandage he had put on the cut at his hairline, and the bruising had already turned an ugly shade around it. Sighing deeply, he grabbed the towel and patted his face dry. He decided that getting a hot, but quick, shower would make his aching muscles feel better and maybe help him wake up. Trying to wipe off all that dirt and grime with a wet wipe on the plane did nothing for him. He quickly stripped while the water heated up.</p>
<p>After standing in the heated spray for a few minutes, he quickly washed and then reluctantly turned off the water, slung the water from his hair, which he quickly regretted and stepped out of the shower. He grabbed a towel from the stack Naima kept in the bathroom and wrapped it around himself. He picked up his clothes, peeked out the door to make sure the coast was clear and then limped across the hall into the guest bedroom that also had all the kids’ arts and crafts and toys. Naima set up the room with a bed, insisted it was for all of Bravo so no one would be sleeping on the couch, (cough, Jason, cough), but so far he had been the only person to sleep in it.</p>
<p>Before sliding into his jeans, Clay looked at the swelling around his knee. <em>‘Must have twisted it good this time. Oh well, a little ice later and elevating it will help. I just have to get through this barbeque first.’</em> He finished buckling his belt and sat on the side of the bed to re-wrap his wrist. It was never easy to wrap your own wrist, but he had done it many times before. Sometimes, after a long op or on deployment, when he hadn’t told anyone he had hurt it, he would find a spot, wrap it and hide it under some long sleeves for a day or so and then all was good. <em>‘If I keep having to wrap this up, I’ll have to get it x-rayed. Every time I think it’s getting better; I screw it up again.’</em> Once he haphazardly wrapped the wrist he leaned back on the bed to fish in the side pocket of his go bag for the extra band-aids he had stuffed there before leaving the base. Without sitting up again, he felt for the cut on his forehead, tore open the bandages and refashioned a butterfly bandage on his still damp skin. If he hadn’t been so tired, he might have realized they wouldn’t stick well. He was still laying half on the bed, half off with his feet on the floor when he fell asleep a few minutes later.</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>“Hey Dad!” Jameelah called from the lawn, standing in the sprinkler and just on the edge of the slip and slide. “I thought Uncle Clay would be here by now.”</p>
<p>“He said he would be over as soon as the plane landed. It must be running a little late.” Ray said, and everyone glanced at their watches. Clay had texted before he had gotten on the plane so they knew what his estimated time of arrival should have been<em>. ‘Must have been delayed by something. He’s already a couple of hours late.’</em></p>
<p>Sonny stood up from the catch pool at the end of the water slide and called over to Ray. “Bam Bam is already here.” He looked around at everyone staring back at him. “What I do?”</p>
<p>Jason stood from the place he had been leaning on the deck rail. “How long?”</p>
<p>“I don’t know.” Sonny replied with another shrug, turning to grab another beer.</p>
<p>“How long, Sonny?” Brock echoed Jason’s question, pulling his eyes away from the kids and Cerb playing in the water to look at him.</p>
<p>Sonny knew better than to dodge the quietest of Bravo’s questions. It was the quiet ones you had to watch out for. “Um, when I went to get my stuff out of my truck, I saw him limping across the hall in a towel. I think he had just taken a shower.”</p>
<p>Having gotten an answer, Brock relaxed in his chair, then all at once everyone realized what Sonny had said. Trent was the first to verbalize his concern, “Limping? He was limping and you didn’t think to say anything about that?” Trent turned and headed for the sliding door that led into the kitchen.</p>
<p>“Uncle Clay’s here!” RJ screamed with glee.</p>
<p>“Uncle Clay’s here!” Jameelah raced out of the sprinkler and ran for the deck where she was intercepted by Ray.</p>
<p>“Hey Baby, give us a few minutes to check on him. Uncle Sonny said he’d been in the shower and he’s probably getting dressed.” Jameelah peered up into her father’s eyes, the smile disappeared from her face and she nodded her understanding. Naima kneeled on the other side of the deck having a similar conversation with RJ.</p>
<p>Trent went into the house and down the hallway. The guest bedroom door was closed. He pushed it open slowly, quietly. There on the bed he found Clay, clad only in his jeans, lying sideways across the bed with his feet still on the floor. His right arm rested across his chest and was wrapped haphazardly in a compression wrap. Trent studied his brother for a few moments, noticing the band aids he had on his forehead in a makeshift butterfly bandage, the dark bruise that surrounded the bandage and the dark circles under his eyes. Trent knew a few of Bravo had followed him into the house. He looked over his shoulder and without words Ray and Brock moved to reposition Clay fully on the bed. He could see Jason in the hallways with his phone to his ear, and he would bet money that Sonny was dripping on the deck, wanting to come in and check on Clay but not wanting to face Naima’s wrath if he got her floor dirty.</p>
<p>Ray and Brock backed away, waiting for Trent to give them direction as to what he needed to help with. Trent unbuckled Clay’s jeans and gently lifted his hips. Brock and Ray moved to the end of the bed and grabbed the hem of each pant leg. They pulled the jeans down his legs until Clay elicited a moan. Both Ray and Brock stopped and looked at each other. Trent pulled up the waistband of the jeans that made it almost halfway down Clay’s legs, exposing his Manila scars. He winced when he saw how swollen Clay’s left knee was. The only option they had at this point was to finish removing the jeans the way they started. None of them wanted to cut them off. Trent nodded and they pulled the jeans the rest of the way off.</p>
<p>Clay remained asleep through the process but had coughed harshly when they were finished. Ray bumped Brock. “Closet.” Ray calmly stated, and they both moved to the closet and got pillows down from the top shelf. “He must have taken some smoke in from somewhere.” Trent unnecessarily explained as he held Clay up enough for Brock to position the pillows on the bed to elevate his head and shoulders to help him breathe easier.</p>
<p>Then Brock stepped back out of the way again. Naima appeared in the door with Jameelah and RJ right behind her. All three were there for a second and then disappeared. Naima came back a few seconds later with the medical kits Trent gave to every member of Bravo for emergencies. She walked over and handed it to the medic, then bent over and kissed Clay on the forehead. “He’s a little warm.” Her hand passed over Clay’s forehead brushing hair out of the way and removing the makeshift butterfly bandage easily from his damp skin, dropping into the wastebasket. “Could be from the hot shower.” She patted Ray’s shoulder as she passed, leaving them to get some ice packs.</p>
<p>RJ came back next with one of his favorite stuffed animals, a teddy bear in camouflage, which he proceeded to place on the bed next to Clay. Clay’s arm instinctively pulled it closer as if he knew RJ had placed it there. RJ smiled at his father and then hurried out of the room to go back to the slip and slide.</p>
<p>Jameelah was next with a bottle of water and the bottle of Tylenol her mother had given her in the kitchen. She put both bottles on the bedside table, patted Clay’s shoulder and followed her brother back to the barbeque.</p>
<p>Brock smiled and leaned back against the wall with Ray while Trent checked Clay’s injuries.</p>
<p>Naima returned a few minutes later with ice packs for Clay’s wrist and knee. Experience had told her Trent would want them. She disappeared again only to return with towels to use between the packs and his skin.</p>
<p>Jason appeared in the doorway and leaned on the door jam. He cleared his throat as he looked over his youngest, most troublesome brother. “Called Blackburn. They were clearing out a small rebellion in Liberia that managed to snag some American hostages. He was supposed to come as a translator only, but Charlie’s mission went to hell.” He looked from Brock to Ray to Trent who was busy getting a set of vitals on Clay. “I also called Beau. He said that the rebellion managed to get their hands on some RPG’s, blew up one of their transports and Clay was stuck hiding behind some boulders for cover next to the truck. When he finally met up with the rest of the team, he was coughing pretty good. He also mentioned that the way Clay met up with him is by wrestling with a tango and then falling ass over tea kettle down an embankment while still wrestling the tango.” Jason had to chuckle at the picture that Beau had given him. “He said he didn’t notice anything but a lot of dirt and a few scrapes and abrasions from the tumble. He did say he sounded a little gravely but chalked that up to breathing smoke from the truck fire.”</p>
<p>“So, he didn’t get checked out by Charlie’s medic?” Trent asked as he pumped up the BP cuff.</p>
<p>“No, he said that it was a fire storm and they didn’t get a chance. By the time they got the hostages to the plane, Clay was already headed up the ramp and looking like he was ready to sleep the whole flight home. He said that he didn’t think anything of it since Clay had just gotten back from our own spin-up, the mission went to hell, and he had to be tired.”</p>
<p>“He must have been covering up the wrist and knee.” Trent reached his fingers up to the cut at Clay’s hairline. “And that.”</p>
<p>Jason moved closer so he could see what Trent had pointed at. “Need to call Blackburn and let him know Clay won’t be coming in tomorrow.”</p>
<p>“I don’t know, Boss. Maybe.” Trent didn’t want to be the one to decide if Clay had to miss work. “I’ll put some ice on his knee and his wrist is probably just sprained. If he keeps it wrapped…” Trent let the sentence linger.</p>
<p>“Okay Trent, I’ll wait and see when he wakes up.” Jason was already thinking of ways to get him on light duty tomorrow instead of running drills.</p>
<p>“Thanks Boss.” Trent said.</p>
<p>“Don’t thank me yet. I didn’t say he could work on drills; you might need to sit on him to keep him on light duty.” Jason said as he left the room, shaking his head.</p>
<p>“You need me?” Brock asked softly.</p>
<p>“Nah, I’ll just re-wrap that arm and get the ice packs on. He’s pretty out of it right now. Probably just tired.” Trent said as he reached for the supplies.</p>
<p>“Yeah, tired.” Brock nodded. <em>‘Exhausted is more like it.’</em> Brock hesitated at the door, looking back at the supine figure in the bed. <em>‘I hope that’s all it is.’</em></p>
<p>Ray didn’t say anything, just patted Trent’s shoulder and headed back out to supervise everyone.</p>
<p>When he was finally alone with Clay, Trent brushed the hair from his face and applied a “real” butterfly bandage on the small cut on his forehead after putting some antibiotic cream on it. He then elevated the knee and placed the towel over it before putting the ice packs in place. He gently rewrapped the wrist, elevated it, and repeated the process of placing the ice on it. Through all of that, Clay never woke up. Trent stood up, pulled the blanket out of the closet, and carefully covered his brother. <em>‘I hope you haven’t hidden any other injuries, Kid.’</em> He gave Clay’s shoulder a gentle squeeze. ‘<em>I didn’t feel any ribs out of place or tenderness in your abdomen.’</em> He sighed. <em>‘Rest easy brother.’</em></p>
<p>When Trent came back out of the sliding glass door onto the deck, he was met by a dripping man with a towel wrapped around his shoulders. He looked into the worried eyes of Sonny. “He’s okay. A little banged up and tired, but he’ll be okay. I’ll have to go move the ice packs in about twenty minutes and then replace them again a little later, but he’ll probably sleep for a while.</p>
<p>“Well, Peter Pan didn’t do too much damage.” Sonny’s face broke out into a smile. “What can I do to help?” Sonny asked without thinking. He was giving himself away even though they all knew his act of not caring was just that… an act.</p>
<p>Trent smiled broadly. “Well, since you ‘care’ so much Sonny.”</p>
<p>“Hey, I never said that.” Sonny sputtered.</p>
<p>“No, of course not.” Brock patted Sonny’s shoulder on his way by with a beer.</p>
<p>“What I meant is there anything I can do to help with Clay’s share?” Sonny straightened his shoulders and cocked his head sideways.</p>
<p>“Oh, I see. Well, Clay promised to play with the kids on the slip and slide.” Ray popped up from where he was standing next to the patio table loaded with food.</p>
<p>“Okay, come on Brock.” Sonny said as he grabbed onto Brock and pulled him closer to the sprinkler. He tossed his towel over the deck rail and ran across the yard yelling. “Look out kids! Here comes Sonny Quinn!” He then jumped and slid on his belly on the slip and slide, making a splash as he ended in the catch pool. Everyone laughed at his belly slide.</p>
<p>Brock moved a little slower, taking the time to pull off his shirt and tossing that to the side. He had a little more dignity than the ornery Texan, but then with a sprint, he slid down the slide like a baseball player, targeting the Texan still sitting in the catch pool. He made a splash as Sonny quickly moved causing the children to giggle happily.</p>
<p>“I want to try!” Jameelah yelled and made her way to the front.</p>
<p>“Hold on there, Buttercup, first let me explain how to do it.” Sonny stopped her before she could accidently hurt herself.</p>
<p>The other adults knew that the children were in good hands and returned to their earlier conversations. Trent grabbed a cold beer and joined Ray at the grill. “How’s it coming?”</p>
<p>“Almost ready.” Ray lowered the lid. “Did you get him all settled?”</p>
<p>“Yeah, he’ll probably sleep most of the day.” He turned the bottle up and took a long draw. “Do you think Boss is mad?”</p>
<p>“Nah, he cares too much about all of us to get too mad.” Ray said, looking out at the yard. “Now Beau on the other hand…”</p>
<p>Trent chuckled at Ray’s response. “Do you think Clay has some hills in his future?”</p>
<p>“Nope, he’s just concerned and that’s when the resting bitch face comes out. He loves us. He told me that he couldn’t ask for a better bunch of men to have on his team.” Ray patted Trent’s back. “Of course, he’d had a few drinks at the time.” He chuckled as he walked over to the cooler and got himself another drink.</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>After several hours Clay stirred. He cracked open his eyes and looked around the room. ‘Guys must have found me.’ He thought as he moved the towel that held the ice pack on his wrist, sat up slowly and repeated the process on his knee. He then pulled the blanket down and checked the knee. The swelling was down significantly, and he flexed it a few times to see how painful it was. Satisfied that it would support him, he turned and put both feet on the floor. He smiled when RJ’s teddy bear fell on the floor. He reached for the water bottle and the bottle of Tylenol on the side table, popped the top off and got out a couple of capsules. He smiled to himself, knowing his team cared a lot about him gave him a warm fuzzy feeling inside.</p>
<p>He got up and slipped his jeans on and crossed the hall to take care of some business before he finished dressing. He returned to his room and grabbed a tank and slipped it on. He knew that even though he had been asleep for several hours his friends would be waiting for him in the backyard.</p>
<p>When he walked through the glass doors, he saw all his brothers and their families there on the deck. They were finishing their dinner. “Um, can a guy get something to eat around here?” He teased knowing this was probably the second time the group had eaten today.</p>
<p>Ray got up and gave Clay his chair. Naima ducked into the house to retrieve the steak they had been keeping warm for him in the oven. Sonny placed a cold beer on the table in front of him. Trent picked up the beer and replaced it with a soda. Brock passed Clay some silverware and a napkin.</p>
<p>“How are you feeling Clay?” Jason asked, leaning his elbow on the table and looked over at him.</p>
<p>“Better… Sorry I fell asleep.” Clay couldn’t meet his team leader’s eyes.</p>
<p>“Hi Uncle Clay!” Jameelah tugged on Clay’s arm.</p>
<p>Clay reached out and pulled her into a hug. “Hey Jammie.”</p>
<p>“You were asleep, and we took care of you.” She beamed up at him.</p>
<p>“I know.” He looked from person to person sitting around the table and felt that warm fuzzy feeling inside again. “You always do.”</p>
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